Apparatus for concentrating sulfuric acid.



O. PROELSS & W. S. HALL. APPARATUS FOR GONUENTEATING SULFURIC ACID.urmoumxq Hum JAN. 6,-1910.

Patented June 7, 1910.

2 sums-sum 1.

0. PROELSS & W. SQHALL. APPARATUS FOR GONGENTRATING SULFURIO ACID.

' APPLICATION IILED .TAN.6. 1910.

960,702, Patented June 7, 1910.

2 BHEETS-BHBET 2.

' o'rro ritoELss. or Kansas orry, MISSOURI, AND WALTER s. HALL, orARGENTINE,

icr sans rarn' anion ;K;ai isAs.

eeoroa.

i To all whom it may concern:

- Specification of Letters Patent.

APPARATUS-FOR CONCENTRATING: SULFURIC ACID.

Patented June 7, TQM).

Applicatioi filed January s, 1910. Serial No. aaen'oa.

which is provided with an inner rod 14 for of said-flange is rovidedwith an annular, Be it known that we, O'r'ro PRoELss, ofupwardly-'extende rim or wall 6 terminat- Kansas City, in the county ofJackson and ing at the top in an oflset recess 6 for the State ofMissouri, and WALTER S. HALL, of periphery of the metal cover 7 (Fig. 1)to 5;:Ar'gentine, in the county of Wyandotte andfit into. The cover ofthe boilers consists co State of Kansas, have invented certain new ofthe outer part 7 having a large opening and useful Improvements inApparatus for arranged centrally over the primary boil- .ConcentratingSulfuric Acid, of which the ing pot 5, and an upwardly-extended filledfollowing is a specification. part 8 having a base adapted to fit intoan 1 Our-invention relates to apparatus for oflset recess around theopeningof the part at the concentration of sulfuric acid, by evap- 7,similar to that at 6* so as to have said part oration; and the objectsof our improve- 8 cover said large opening and support its ments are,first to provide means whereby a interstitial fillin directly over saidpot 5. I volume of weak acid may be primarily boiled The c centricciamber, between the walls and continuously passed off automatically ofthe ot 5 and 6 of the flange 5 consti- 7o into a shallow secondaryboiler where a less tutes a secondary boiling vessel into which quantityof'the stronger acid is further subthe acid passes from the bottom ofthe pot jected to heat to produce the highest concen- 5 and is the placewhere the final boiling tration capable of being produced'by evapof theacid is'done. oration and passed thence to a cooler; and, The upperportion of the pot 5 above a 75 second, to' arrange a cover inconjunction jog 5 in its wall, the entire inner surface with the boilersin such a manner that the of the wall 6, and of the 2-part cover 7 andacid vapors rising from the boilerswill'be 8, are lined with a layer 9of acid tile, in condensed and automatically returnedto the order toprotect the metal (castiron) of primary boiler. which these parts aremade, from the corso We have attained these objects by the aprosiveaction of the fumes. rising from the paratus constructed as illustratedin the ac--' acid being treated, to which such surfaces companyingdrawings in which- "would otherwise be subjected in operation.

Figure 1 is a central vertical section of the The pot 5 is provided witha tubular procover and boilers in conjunction with a 'ection 10 at thebottom which Is. extended 85 cooler shown in elevation. Fig. 2 is anen-. horizontally out through an opening in the larged plan View of theboilers without the wall of the fireplace and has a vertical cover. Fig.3 is an elevation of the parts branch 10 which extends up through theshown in Fig. 2. v flange 5 so that when acid 18 filled into the Likereference numerals marked on the pot 5 sufficiently to rise above theplane of so drawings refer to like parts throughout the said flange 5 itwill overflow upon said several views. flange throu h said branch 10.The con- The numeral 4 desi nates'a furnace or centric chain er betweenthe walls 5 and 6 fireplace, consisting of a square or cylin-. isprovided with 'a tubular pro ec t on 11 40 drical brick chamber providedwith a fire forming an exit opening through which the 95 .grate, aninlet, and an exit flue, for the concentrated acid can ow out of theconburnin of fuel and the escape of the rodcentrator and into a commonwater cooler ucts o combustion."This may be 0 any ,12, which may be ofany suitable construcsuitable 'construction kn'own to those skilled tionknown to those skilled in the art. Said in the art. I outer concentricchamber or vessel hasapar- 100 Mounted on suchfire aceis a large pri-,t'ition 13 (Fig. 2) located between the tubumary boiling 0t 5 whic li isopen at the top lar openings 10 and 11, so as to cause all and preferaoly made of Yeast iron. Said the acid passing into the same to travel overot has an annular flange 5 nearits mid- ,the entire concentric bottom 5,as indicated lieight which is ada ted .to rest atitsouter by the'arrowsin Fig.2, before passing out 105 edge u onthe top 0 the wall 4 so as tosupthrough said exit open ng 11 to the cooler.

port t e pot 5 centrally over the fireand. The 'tubular extension 10 hasa reduced have the inner portion of said flange ex detachable part lflfto which is attached an osed to the heat from below, as well as the'angular extension of a vertical tube 14 bottom and sides of said pot.The periphery 119 working a valve 14 when it is desired to draw off acidfrom the pot 5. By removing the reduced part 10 at its junction with thepart 10 the vertical tube 14 may be removed and a scraper or swab may beinserted for cleaning the bottom of said pot 5.

The part 7 of the cover is provided with a tubular opening "I for thepurpose of ascertainin the acid level at any time in the pot 5 and ordraft gage connections. The tile cover over the to of the filled part 8is provided with openings 8 through which, by means of tubularconnections with a source of supply (not shown), weak acid is introducedinto said filled part 8 and trickles down through the mass of thefilling and falls into the rimary boiling pot 5 over which the saidfilled art is located. The tile cover at the top 0 the filled art has alarge central opening 8 through w ich the uncondensed vapors rising fromthe acid may escape. The parts 7 and 8 of the cover are provided withperforated ribs or ears 7 adapted to engage hooks to be applied in theperforations for lifting the said parts off of the boilers.

In operation the heat from the boiling acid rises throu h theinterstitial filling of the part 8 and t e fumes carried up therebywhich contain vapors of acid are partially condensed and the acid socondensed falls back into the central or rimary boiler with the incomingacid, whic is fed in through said filling. The boiling in the primaryboiler increases the strength of the acid as it descendsin said boiler,so that the acid rising to the concentric outer vessel or secondaryboiler through the vertical tube 10 is of the acid most concentrated inthe central or primary boiling vessel, and is spread in a thin layer andcaused to travel over the entire bottom of the outer or secondary boilngvessel wherein the greatest concentration s efiected immediatelypreceding the cooling of the acid. The degree of concentration may bevaried in accordance with the speed at which the weaker acid is fed tothe central primary boiler, and therefore the regulation of the feed maybe the means for attaining the desired acid strength.

The strongest acid possible by evaporat on viz: 98.20% H SO has beenmade continuously by our above described concentrator.

Having fully described our invention, what weclaim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with afireplace of a central vessel having an opening at its bottom, aconcentric outer vessel havin an exit openmg at its bottom saidbottomlming arranged at a higher level than said 0 enmg of the centralvessel, a vertical tubu ar connection of said outer vessel with saidopening of eeojroa said central vessel, a partition in said outerconcentric vessel located between said tubular connection and said exitopening, and a perforated cover for said vessels, as speci- 2. In anapparatusof the class described, the combination with a central vesselhaving an opening at its bottom communicating with a vertical tube, of aconcentric outer vessel communicating at its bottom with the upper endof said vertical tube and having an exit opening near its bottom, meansfor causing the acid treated to pass over the entire bottom of saidoutervessel before reaching said exit openin and a cover ada ted to supportan interstitial filling over sai' central vessel, as specified.

3. In an a paratus of the class described, the combinatlon with acentral vessel having a tubular horizontal extension 10 of a detachabletubular part 10" and a vertical tube 141: provided with a valve and rodfor operating the valve, as specified.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with afire-place of a boiling pot 5 having an opening at its bottomcommunicating with a vertical tube 10 a concentric flan e 5 at about itsmid-height and perforate b said tube; a concentric flange 6 having tuular perforations 11, and a perforated cover having parts 7 and 8, asand for the purpose specified.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with afire-place of a cast metal boiling ot 5 having an opening 10 andvertical tu e 10, a flange 5 and run 6 adapted to form an outerconcentric boiling,

vessel havin its bottom rforated by sai tube 10 an its rim per orated atthe bottom by a tubular exit opening, a perforated cover having parts 7and 8, the latter being filled, and the interior acid tile lining 9 ofsaid arts, as specified.

6. an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a primaryboiling pot of a secondary boiling pot having its bottom located at ahigher level than the bottom of said primary boilin pot and a tubularconnection with said rimary boiling pot below the level of the ottom ofsaid secondary boiling 0t and extended upwardly to the bottom of saidsecondary boi ing pot and. perforating the same to cause liquid acidrising in said primary boiling pot to a higher level than the bottom ofsaid secondary boilin pot to overflow upon said bottom, as an for thepurpose specified.

7. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with afire-place of a rimary boiling pot and a secondary boi in pot, thelatter havin its bottom arrange above the level of the ottom of saidprimary boiling pot, a tubular connection having one end terminating ina perforation of the bottom of said secondary boiling pot and the otherend in communication with said ing pot, as and for the purposespecified.

8. In an apparatus of the class described,

the combination with a fire-place of a primary boiling pot and asecondary boiling pot having their bottom parts arranged at differentlevels, a tubular connection perforating the bottom of said secondaryboiling pot, communicating with said primary boiling pot near its bottomand adapted to cause an overflow or? acid rising in said primary boilingpot to a point above the level of the bottom of said secondary boilingpot, and a perforated cover for sand primary and secondary boiling potsprovided with an interstitial filling arranged over said primary boilingpot, as and for the purpose specified.

k OTTO PROELSS.

WALTER S. HALL). Witnesses:

F. W. Errs,

J. E. Grmornnns.

